Bacon will depart in mid March. She joined Abta’s executive leadership team in January 2011 and has led its brand, communications, business development, events, education and engagement work.

She will focus on consultancy and advisory work in the short term, alongside spending more time with family, before considering options in the longer term.

During her time with Abta, Bacon was responsible for the design and implementation of Abta’s Travel with Confidence brand repositioning and the roll-out of the organisation’s conference and events business.

Bacon said: “It’s been an incredible nine years. I feel proud and privileged to have contributed to Abta’s development and progress and to have had the opportunity to work in such a fantastic industry.

“I’ll be sad to say goodbye to my colleagues but I’m excited about the future, and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer added: “Victoria has made an enormous contribution to Abta over the past nine years as part of the leadership team, and has overseen a transformation in the organisation’s communications capability.

“Under her stewardship the Abta brand has maintained consistently high recognition levels, and strong association with the values of care and confidence that are at Abta’s core.

“We shall be looking to build on the strong foundation that now exists in order to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and wish Victoria well as she pursues new opportunities of her own.”